Why My Lachha Paratha Has Those Perfect Shattering Layers

About this recipe

Crispy, flaky, and buttery Punjabi Lachha Paratha made right at home. Master this beloved Indian bread with simple steps and pantry staples for perfect layers every time.

↓ Jump to Recipe

Be the first to review

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy

Watch the recipe

Lachha paratha are soft & flaky multi-layered Indian flatbreads. These parathas are a popular bread served at Indian restaurants, and go well with the most exquisite curries! I love these parathas so much!

Traditionally, this paratha is made in a tandoori oven/Indian clay oven, but this tawa/skillet recipe captures the essence. These parathas are a step more advanced than a regular layered paratha, so if you haven't tried the beautiful triangular paratha yet, check out my recipe for Classic Layered Paratha.

Stacked Punjabi lachha paratha on a white plate, showing golden-brown, flaky multi-layered flatbread texture.

What Makes This Paratha “Better” Than a Regular Paratha?

Better or not, I will leave that up to you! But more extravagant, I will 100% agree. This bread has several, I would say at least 20-30, maybe more layers! I challenge you to count, let me know in the comments down below.

Each layer is brushed with ghee and dusted with flour to ensure all of those layers, you worked so hard to develop, remain intact. And the process will take you back to your childhood. Let me explain.

Golden Punjabi lachha paratha with layered, flaky texture on blue striped cloth with rolling pin

Making the Layers

Add the atta flour and all-purpose flour into a large bowl. Add the olive oil and mix either with a spoon or with your hands. The oil is well incorporated into the flour if you see small clumps.

Dough being kneaded in a stainless steel bowl with oil streaks visible, showing the layering preparation stage.

Mixed atta and all purpose flour with olive oil in a stainless steel bowl, ready for kneading.

Begin kneading the dough by hand or by using a stand mixer. As you are kneading, gradually add water to the bowl until you have a dough that is soft but not sticky. Once the dough is prepared, transfer it to a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth or paper towel for at least 15 minutes to allow it to rest.

Dough being kneaded in a stand mixer bowl with dough hook attachment

Smooth ball of dough resting in a stainless steel bowl for Punjabi Lachha Paratha.

Balls of kneaded dough resting in a stainless steel bowl before portioning for Punjabi Lachha Paratha.

After the dough has rested, divide the dough into 3-4 equal portions. Roll each portion between the palm of your hands to a smooth ball. Working with one portion at a time lightly pat the dough down and dust in flour. Roll out into a disk (5-6 inches in diameter) and brush with melted ghee and dust generously with flour.

Four balls of dough on a floured granite surface during Punjabi Lachha Paratha preparation.

Rolling out paratha dough with a wooden rolling pin on a floured surface.

Three dough balls dusted with flour on a granite surface next to a wooden rolling pin.

Unbaked paratha dough ball with pleated layers visible on dark work surface dusted with flour

Then, start creating pleats, this will look just like the Japanese paper fans from your school days! These layers are then tightly rolled together and then rolled out into thin disk. The flour will help keep those layers separate, and will help the paratha to fluff nicely once cooked.

Dough rolled into a thin disk with pleats, dusted with flour, showing the layered structure of punjabi lachha paratha.

Hands rolling pleated dough into a thin disk for Punjabi lachha paratha on a floured surface.

Hands rolling pleated dough into a spiral coil for Punjabi lachha paratha.

Rolled dough coil showing pleated layers for Punjabi lachha paratha preparation on a textured surface.

Repeat the same with the remaining portions and roll out into a thin disk.

Rolled paratha dough on a floured surface next to a wooden rolling pin.

Rolled paratha dough flattened into a thin disk on a floured surface with a rolling pin.

Cooking the Paratha

Heat a tawa pan on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, lay your paratha on the pan and cook for a few minutes, until bubbles begin to form and you begin to see the creases from the layers. Then, flip the paratha and add a touch of ghee with the help of a spoon along the sides and the top of the paratha.

Paratha cooking on a dark tawa pan with bubbles forming on the surface

Uncooked paratha on a dark tawa pan with bubbles forming on the surface, ready to be flipped.

Golden-brown Punjabi lachha paratha cooking on a dark tawa pan with visible bubbles forming on the surface.

Flip, and repeat the same on the other side. Cook until each side has light golden brown color. Repeat the same with the remaining dough.

Punjabi lachha paratha cooking on a dark tawa pan, being flipped with a black spatula, showing light golden-brown color.

Punjabi lachha paratha cooking on a dark tawa pan, showing golden-brown bubbles forming on the surface.

Cooked Punjabi lachha paratha on a tawa pan with golden brown spots and visible steam bubbles.

To serve, lightly crush the paratha to release the layers of the paratha.

Cooked lachha paratha being held in hands, showing golden-brown layers and char spots.

Hands holding a flaky layered Punjabi lachha paratha with golden brown spots, partially torn to show the crispy layers inside.

I usually save these lachha parathas for a special meal. Some of my favorite curries include:

What Is Lachha Paratha?

Lachha paratha — also spelled laccha paratha or lachha parantha — is a flaky, multi-layered flatbread from North India, and a true Punjabi favorite. The name comes from the many rings, or lachha, that spiral through each bread. Unlike a plain roti or chapati, which is a single soft layer of atta and water, this flaky lachha paratha earns its texture from technique rather than a long ingredient list. The base here is simple: mostly atta (whole wheat flour) with just a little all-purpose flour — maida — for extra stretch, plus olive oil, water, and ghee. The magic is all in the folding.

Tips for the Flakiest Lachha Paratha

A few small steps make the difference between a beautifully flaky paratha and a flat one:

Rest the dough. Knead until it is soft but not sticky, then cover it with a damp cloth for at least 15 minutes — resting relaxes the flour so it rolls out thin without springing back.
Roll smooth balls. Roll each portion between the palms of your hands into a smooth ball before rolling it out; an even start makes for even layers.
Ghee is the secret to the layers. Brush each rolled disk with ghee and dust it with flour before you pleat — the fat keeps every fold separate so they bake up crisp instead of fusing back into one bread.
Pleat, then coil. Gather the disk into accordion pleats like a paper fan, stretch it as thin as you can, then coil it inward like a cinnamon bun before rolling it out again. More pleats mean more layers.
Cook on a hot tawa. Get your tawa properly hot over medium-high heat, then add a little ghee along the sides and top as each side cooks to a light golden brown.
Crush to reveal the layers. As soon as the paratha comes off the pan, lightly crush it between your hands to release all those flaky rings.

Storage, Reheating, and Easy Swaps

These parathas taste best hot off the tawa, but they keep well too:

Storing: Stack cooled parathas with a square of parchment paper between each one, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days.
Reheating: Warm them on a hot tawa for the crispest result, or microwave for a few seconds when you are in a hurry — kids love them straight up with a little butter.
Make it vegan: The dough is already dairy-free since it is made with olive oil, so simply brush and cook with a neutral oil or vegan butter in place of the ghee.
Season to taste: The dough is intentionally plain, but you can knead in a pinch of salt if you like a little more flavor in the bread itself.

Variations and Other Parathas to Try

Once the layering technique is in your hands, the same dough takes a lot of variations:

Work a teaspoon of ajwain (carom seeds) or a pinch of crushed kasuri methi into the flour before you add water — both are traditional and both survive the high heat of the tawa.
Brush the finished paratha with garlic butter instead of plain ghee, then scatter chopped coriander over the top.
For extra crispy parathas, cook the last minute on slightly higher heat and press the edges down with a folded cloth so every layer touches the tawa.
Stuffed parathas are a different technique rather than a variation of this one — the filling goes into the dough ball before rolling, not into the pleats. If that is what you are after, aloo paratha, paneer paratha and green chilli paratha are all worth a look among my other paratha recipes.

A stack of these is at its best next to something rich enough to mop up: paneer kadai, dal makhani, or any thick North Indian curry with plenty of gravy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is lachha paratha?▼

Lachha paratha is a flaky, multi-layered North Indian flatbread — the dough is pleated and coiled (like a cinnamon roll) to create its signature lachha, or layers.

How do I get the flaky layers in lachha paratha?▼

Roll the dough thin, pleat or fold it like a fan, then coil it inward like a cinnamon roll before rolling it out again. That folding-and-coiling is what creates all those flaky layers.

Why do I need to rest the dough?▼

Resting the dough under a damp cloth relaxes the gluten so it rolls out thin without springing back — key for thin, flaky layers.

What do you serve with lachha paratha?▼

Lightly crush it to reveal the layers, then serve hot with any rich curry or dal.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Tools Needed

Recipe by Anadi Misra

How to Make The Best Punjabi Lachha Paratha

Crispy, flaky, and buttery Punjabi Lachha Paratha made right at home. Master this beloved Indian bread with simple steps and pantry staples for perfect layers every time.

Stovetop

Be the first to rate ✦

Be the first to review

Saved to your collection

25 min

Prep

8 min

Cook

33 min

Total

parathas

medium

Level

Ingredients

Tap any quantity to scale

(125 g) atta flourShop →
(31 g) all-purpose flourShop →
(15 ml) olive oilShop →
water(as needed)
Ghee (as desired) · make your ownShop →
all-purpose flour(for dusting)Shop →

Instructions

1
Add the atta flour and the all purpose flour into a large bowl. Add the olive oil and mix either with a spoon or with your hands. The oil is well incorporated into the flour if you see small clumps.
Add the atta flour and the all purpose flour into a large bowl. Add the olive oil and mix either with a spoon or with your hands. The oil is well incorporated into the flour if you see small clumps.
2
Begin kneading the dough by hand or by using a stand mixer. As you are kneading, gradually add water to the bowl until you have a dough that is soft but not sticky.
Begin kneading the dough by hand or by using a stand mixer. As you are kneading, gradually add water to the bowl until you have a dough that is soft but not sticky.
3
Once the dough is prepared, transfer it to a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth or paper towel for at least 15 minutes to allow it to rest.
Once the dough is prepared, transfer it to a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth or paper towel for at least 15 minutes to allow it to rest.
4
After the dough has rested, divide the dough into three or four equal portions. Roll each portion between the palm of your hands to a smooth ball.
After the dough has rested, divide the dough into three or four equal portions. Roll each portion between the palm of your hands to a smooth ball.
5
Then, on one of the portions, pat down the dough and dust in flour. Then roll out the dough into a disk, 5-6 inches in diameter. Brush on some ghee and lightly dust with flour. Start creating pleats on the dough and stretch as much as possible while folding.
Then, on one of the portions, pat down the dough and dust in flour. Then roll out the dough into a disk, 5-6 inches in diameter. Brush on some ghee and lightly dust with flour. Start creating pleats on the dough and stretch as much as possible while folding.
6
Once you have made all the folds, lay the dough upright and roll it inwards until it resembles a cinnamon bun. Press down gently, dust with flour and roll it out into a thin disk.
Once you have made all the folds, lay the dough upright and roll it inwards until it resembles a cinnamon bun. Press down gently, dust with flour and roll it out into a thin disk.
7
Heat a tawa pan on high heat. Once the pan is hot, lay your paratha on the pan and cook for a few minutes, until bubbles begin to form and you begin to see the creases from the layers.
Heat a tawa pan on high heat. Once the pan is hot, lay your paratha on the pan and cook for a few minutes, until bubbles begin to form and you begin to see the creases from the layers.
8
Then, flip the paratha and add a touch of ghee with the help of a spoon along the sides and the top of the paratha. Flip, and repeat the same on the other side. Cook until each side has a light golden brown color.
Then, flip the paratha and add a touch of ghee with the help of a spoon along the sides and the top of the paratha. Flip, and repeat the same on the other side. Cook until each side has a light golden brown color.
9
Repeat steps 5 and 7 with the remaining dough and serve immediately. To serve, lightly crush the paratha to release the layers of the paratha.
Repeat steps 5 and 7 with the remaining dough and serve immediately. To serve, lightly crush the paratha to release the layers of the paratha.

Nutrition per serving

647

Calories

Protein

65g

Carbs

39g

Fat

Fiber

Sugar

4mg

Sodium

Share This Recipe

Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi

Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen

What Makes This Paratha “Better” Than a Regular Paratha?